Making Mini-Yogis
Rebecca Harris, Early Education Writer   •   May 2, 2018
What parent doesn't want a child who is more intuitively calm while staying physically active? One of the best ways to achieve both enhanced concentration and bodily strength is yoga. Most people picture yoga as an escape for adults from their hectic lives, but in reality, yoga is just as beneficial, if not more, to growing children.  
An obvious benefit of yoga is getting children moving! It increases strength and flexibility, as well as coordination and body awareness. Children's bodies are growing and changing so rapidly that it's important for them to have a greater understanding of how their bodies interact in a space. The poses and stretches practiced in yoga allow children to get stronger and more flexible at the same time.
Educational schools across the country are adopting yoga as an exercise that challenges children's coordination and improves their attentiveness for the classroom.  Adjunct benefits of yoga are an increased sense of calmness and an improved concentration. Our world is a non-stop assortment of screens and distractions. Yoga provides the tools for children to stay grounded through breathing techniques and body awareness.  
At this point in the reading, I know what many parents are thinking: how in the world do you get a preschool child to be calm enough to not only listen to instruction, but follow through the poses, postures and breathing? The best way to get a preschool child engaged is to spark their creativity in the process. Utilize the poses as a way to mimic favorite animals! There are some key poses like "downward facing dog" that make us look a lot like our favorite pets when they stretch after a nap. When we take a deep inhale, we can let all our air out with a big "lion's breath" roar.  
Lucky for us, spring is on the way! Yoga can be practiced inside during a rainy day, or outside when the warm sun is out, and with little to no equipment. Whether it's practiced with a group with friends in the park, or independently at home, the tools a child takes from yoga will provide them with a better foundation for both physical and mental strength as they grow and learn.
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